Sunday, October 24, 2010

No Happy Medium

For weeks now I have been pondering why the band can be so finicky. Right now, it won't let me eat very much which makes for no weight loss, but a hungry Sandy.

My last teeny fill was in June and that month I could eat and lost 4 pounds. Then a teeny unfill the end of July, a month where I couldn't eat much but I lost 5 pounds. I think I have just over 4 cc in my 10 cc band. August was a stellar eating month, barely a stuck episode and again I lost another 4 pounds. At the beginning of June I weighed 184 pounds and at the beginning of September 171 pounds. I weigh the same 171 pounds this morning. My weight has fluctuated up and down a few pounds for the last two months.

Since before Chicago, my band has been really tight, then loose, then tight... Somedays, I can eat normal solid protein, healthy stuff. Other days, its a crap shoot: whatever crap I can get down goes into my mouth, usually chocolate, chips, ice cream, milkshakes. Because I am physically hungry. There doesn't seem to be a happy medium.

Just when I decide I should go for an unfill, I can eat. Last Wednesday, I was out with a friend for a Moroccan dinner and was able to eat a bit of eggplant salad with couscous (yucky), two chicken thighs and a sweet dessert similar to baklava. The dinner did span a 2 hour period since it was a demo and as the chef cooked each course, it was served. The next day, I gagged on two bites of a small ham sandwich. It was back to ice cream again.

Each time I get stuck, I go on puree or mushies for a day and it seems to help reduce the swelling. But I have yet to figure out what will trigger the band to squeeze shut. Last night, I had a dinner party and merrily cooked most of the day. I had crisp bacon and scrambled eggs for breakfast and some cheese and nuts for lunch. No problems. My DH had made Coquille St. Jacques (scallops in cream sauce with whipped mashed potatoes). I was able to eat almost all the appetizer serving. Dinner was a wipe-out. I think I had three bites of potato, beef and some broccoli. And that was it. For two hours I suffered. I had this ache above my band and I waited for "something" to move through. Finally, hours later when I went to bed, my lovely dinner came back up over the next hour, along with massive heartburn, more vomiting and then relief at last.  

So far this morning I've had a glass of milk and a coffee. My stomach is still a bit sore. So what to do. I have been so diligent about chewing, chewing, chewing until mush. I can recall a few of my stuck episodes have been swallowing too much too soon. But I still cannot understand why somedays are good and others are bad. I will be honest and say, this is not what I signed up for. I expected the band to help me slow down and eat less. Not stop me from eating solids one day, just to catch up with lots the next day.

Just ranting on. I need to send an update to my surgical clinic nurses. I'll ask them if I should have a small unfill and see if that helps. There are a couple of reasons why I have not lost any weight in the last two months and it has nothing to do with the band.
  • The first reason would be all the travelling I have done and eating out. Lots of eating out and drinking. First in Chicago, then California, then Vermont. In a way I feel quite good that I didn't gain any weight.
  • Another reason is that I am about 15 pounds from goal and I knew weight loss would slow. In fact I am very happy with being 171 pounds and think anything more is just icing on the cake. I've bought a bunch of new clothes and am feeling rather small. I have this tummy problem (ok, I have a big muffin top to get rid of still). This is a weight I was at for many, many years. Remember the set-point theory. It will take a lot to break through.
  • My last reason for the scale stall. I have not been exercising regularly. As the fall doldrums set in, a bit of depression hits and it is hard to get my bum off the couch. I have a gym membership and need to get into a routine of just doing it!
That concludes my little rant for today. Liquids/purees for me today.

15 comments:

Anonymous said...

You poor thing! I would call the nurse and ask her/his opinion for sure Good luck sweetie....and I would kill to be 171 right now!

Jess said...

Have you heard of/tried the 5 day pouch test?
From the author Kaye Bailey: "This is the 5-day plan that I have developed and used to determine if my pouch is working and return to that tight newbie feeling. And a bonus to this plan, it helps one get back to the basics of the weight loss surgery diet and it triggers weight loss. Also, it is not difficult to follow and if you are in a stage of carb-cycling it will break this pattern. Sounds pretty good, right?"

http://www.5daypouchtest.com/plan/theplan.html

♥ Drazil ♥ said...

Oh that's just poopy. I don't like it when my iMom isn't happy. You call the nurse and keep us posted on what she says. Until then - I'm thinking of you always. Love you.

Justawallflower said...

I really hope you are able to figure out what keeps causing this, and get it fixed. I can imagine how discomforting it is to not know how your band is going to act from one day to the next. Best of luck to you!

Gen said...

So sorry! You really do not have that much in your band to begin with - 4ccs is what I got at my first fill! But until now your weight loss has been great...I guess see what the nurse says. Hope you feel better!

Blossom said...

It's so strange that it's so up and down and you haven't had a fill for months....I'm dealing with issues from my own first fill. I have 4cc also....right now it seems to be a bit much! But I think what you're going through isn't really how you're supposed to live...email the nurses and see what they say, then you can decide from there.

Jacquie said...

I so feel your pain Sandy. I am experiencing the same thing. My last fill was on 9/16 and we all know how well that Chicago hot dog went down, right? Once I got home, my band tightened right up and 5 out of 7 days I am tight and those other 2? well, lets just say that I can eat a small city. Nuff said!

It really makes no sense and I am very reluctant to ask for a slight unfill because I can still get my protein in. that is how I am gauging it. Once I go to sliders, the protein grams go down and I will high tail it to the doc, not before.

Keep me posted on what you decide. Love ya.

Bonnie said...

It sucks that it can be so unpredictable for some people. I haven't really experienced that yet. I'm losing weight very slowly, but I'm not exercising so have no right to complain. Hopefully your band starts behaving.

Camille said...

I hope you get things figured out soon. I remember Southern Girl having similar problems and actually improved with a fill. Hang in there, SL!

Cindylew said...

Hey there Tootsie Roll...finally I can relate to what you're saying about having a bit too much restriction. For me, I will not get an unfill...I don't want to go back to being able to eat anything and everything. On the days I'm very tight I stick to protein shakes and that'll usually do the trick. The one thing I don't contend with is the hunger...when I'm tight I get a bit stuck while attempting a meal, it usually knocks my hunger right out.
I sure hope this settles down for you soon.
I too would kill to be at 171 right now...you're doing great.

Barbara said...

I find my band tightens up with stress, I mean REALLY tight.. But when I am in a normal stress free zone.. things seem to be fine.. don't know if periodic stress is doing the same to you as well.. but hope you figure this out.. tight days mean soup for me.. lentil or black bean (good protein, low calorie and stays will me).. wish you all the best

Jen said...

:( Sandy...I can SO relate. It makes me want to pull my hair out sometimes. Mine doesn't only change from day to day but from hour to hour. I never know what I'll be able to eat.
The only tip I have that seems to get me through is to take a bite of something about 20 minutes before a meal. It seems that it prevents me from having that FBS (first bite syndrome) sensation.
I hope you have some relief soon and that the nurse has some advice for you. Keep us posted.
Until then, Cake Batter ice cream is REALLY good. lol
Love you!!!

THE DASH! said...

Blasted tricky bands! I hope yours sorts soon as it sounds like its really giving you troubles. xxx

Lonicera said...

I wish there was an expert I could ask, because I'm convinced that some foods 'hide' in the pouch for longer than they should, i.e. take 24 hours to go through instead of minutes. It would only take a tiny amount - say a few beans - to lodge near(ish) to the band opening, to give you a feeling of over-restriction. Then maybe over the next 12 hours you're drinking a bit more, and they dislodge and go down, and you then feel less restriction.... etc. I know this is only a theory, but after the experience I had with beans, I'm willing to place bets on it.
Caroline

Nella said...

Just read this...going thru the exact same thing! Keep up posted!

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